Status updates - 2008

12.13

civ pro, smile back
or i'm gonna sword back

12.2

You know you are in the States long enough when...
you forgot to pay the credit card for the first time.

11.17

Thank you, law school, for helping me set a personal record that was immediately dwarfed upon comparison.

11.13

2B暴动了
笔杆子里出政权

秋收起义
同志们，跟我上井冈山

2008 In Retrospect

《华尔街日报》中文网年度十大热门文章

无跟贴，不新闻——网易新闻2008年终策划

许知远：《2008:中国纪事》 - FT中文网 - FTChinese.com

转型力量：2008《经济观察报》年度人物榜

《南方周末》年度人物：1978～2008

人是历史的刻度，我们一如既往关注那些推动中国进步及对我们的生活产生重大影响的人，向推动历史进程的人物致敬。2000年始，南方周末推出年度人物评选，改革开放三十年之际，我们溯史倒评年度人物，彰显三十年的艰辛与荣耀。

Samuel P. Huntington

Samuel P. Huntington, 81, Political Scientist, Is Dead

Samuel Huntington and the Positivity of Power Thinking

Samuel Huntington, 1927-2008
by Francis Fukuyama

一切的复杂都源于人性的复杂

花了半个小时把这两天写的五篇博客都挪到了这里，姑且称为“镜像”。之所以牺牲半小时的宝贵时间做这件完全没有创造性的琐事，因为方才视频时候妈妈说已经好几天打不开我的博客了。如果以世界上任何国家的标准来衡量都是谨言慎行之楷模的本博都能在神州大地的某城市被屏蔽的话，那我只能“莫名惊诧”了。联想到前阵子连《纽约时报》都能在完全没有冒犯中国的情况下被莫名其妙地封掉三天，我就更不知是该高兴还是悲哀了。

跟JJ同学抱怨了一下，JJ同学教育我要少思考政治问题。其实我现在真的很少思考──因为能想的问题基本上都已经在前几年念PhD期间想过一遍了（奇怪的是，在法学院反而不需要这样的思考，在美国法律跟政治真是完完全全两码事儿──虽然多数政客都是法律出身），最高水准的思想交锋也已亲历过不少，不奢望能很快想出什么终极结论也根本不觉得有终极结论。于是想到这么一个无比真理同时无比废话的标题。

一个像我这样温和到几乎没有任何政治倾向的博客都能被屏蔽，我还能说什么呢。但愿只是技术故障，只是我多虑。

Nixon: "Never Look Back" (1984-8-13)

Nixon: "Never Look Back"

By Otto Friedrich; Adam Zagorin; Hays Corey
Monday, Aug. 13, 1984

The Time Magazine

Published at the tenth anniversary of his departure from the Oval Office.

Excerpts:

"Everywhere I go," says John Dean, the former White House counsel who first publicly tied Nixon to the Watergate coverup, "I hear people say that maybe Nixon wasn't all that bad. The passage of time is one reason. People have softened their views considerably." Another reason is that Nixon has spent the past ten years tirelessly and skillfully campaigning for rehabilitation, for public acknowledgment of what he considers his deserved status as elder statesman. Says Dean: "Richard Nixon is running for ex-President."...

Every day the Secret Service drives him 23 miles to his 13th-floor office near Wall Street, and from 7:30 on, he works the phones like a hungry stockbroker, making and receiving perhaps 40 calls by noon. He calls strategically placed colleagues in the Reagan Administration, though not the President. He calls old friends, like Florida Banker Bebe Rebozo, and even old foes, ...

...The American attention span is not long, but harsh feelings toward Nixon still persist. For every Nixon supporter who remembers the kitchen debate or the opening to China or the settlement in Viet Nam, there are others who recall his early campaigns attacking Democratic Administrations as full of "Communists and crooks." For everyone who thinks of Watergate as a politically exaggerated collection of minor misjudgments, there are many who regard it as a narrowly averted threat to American democracy.

For all that, the brand of unindicted co-conspirator can be neither erased nor forgotten. Nixon is still two years younger than the incumbent President and still insatiably full of ideas and strategies and ambitions. He is still an object of fascination to his foes as well as his friends. So the tenth anniversary of his departure from the Oval Office will not be a day like the others, even if nothing special happens. ...

Déjà Vu: TV

A non-exhaustive list of TV shows I've seen and been impressed by...

CHINESE

西游记/Journey to the West (1982)
射雕英雄传/The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1983)
红楼梦/Dream of the Red Chamber (1987)

封神榜 (1990)
渴望 (1990)
戏说乾隆 (1991)
小龙人 (1992)
新白娘子传奇/New Legend of Madame White Snake (1992)
北京人在纽约/Beijinger in New York (1993)
包青天/Justice Pao (1993)
倚天屠龙记/The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (1993)
情满珠江 (1994)
三国演义/Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1994)
神雕侠侣/The Return of the Condor Heroes (1995)
天地男儿/Cold Blood Warm Heart (1996)
宰相刘罗锅 (1996)
天龙八部/The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (1997)
水浒传/Water Margin (1998)

笑傲江湖/State of Divinity (2001)
大国崛起/The Rise of the Great Powers (2006)

AMERICAN/English

Dynasty/豪门恩怨 (1981)
Hunter/神探亨特 (1984)
Growing Pains/成长的烦恼 (1985)
Beauty and the Beast/侠胆雄狮 (1987)
Around the World in 80 Days/八十天环游地球 (1989)
Baywatch/海岸救护队 (1989)
Seinfeld/宋飞正传 (1989)

Law & Order (1990)
Frasier (1993)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman/超人 (1993)
ER/急诊室的故事 (1994)
Friends (1994)
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Everybody Loves Raymond (1996)
King of Queens (1998)
Sex and the City (1998)

24 (2001)
Smallville (2001)
Cold Case (2003)
NCIS (2003)
Two and a Half Men (2003)
Boston Legal (2004)
Desperate Housewives (2004)
Grey's Anatomy (2005)
How I Met Your Mother (2005)
Prison Break (2005)
The Office (2005)
Jane Eyre (2006)
Ugly Betty (2006)

JAPANESE

赤い疑惑/血疑 (1975)
恐竜戦隊コセイドン/恐龙特急克塞号 (1978)

東京ラブストーリー/东京爱情故事/Tokyo Love Story (1991)
ロングバケーション/悠长假日/Long Vacation (1996)

KOREAN

러브스토리 인 하버드/爱在哈佛/Love Story in Harvard (2004)


ANIMATED SERIES

CHINESE

黑猫警长/Black Cat Detective (1984)
葫芦兄弟/Calabash Brothers (1986)
邋遢大王奇遇记 (1986)
舒克和贝塔 (1989)

魔方大厦/Rubik's Cube (1990)

AMERICAN/CANADIAN/JAPANESE/EUROPEAN

Tom and Jerry/猫和老鼠 (1940)

Popeye the Sailor/大力水手 (1960)
The Flintstones/摩登原始人 (1960)

The Smurfs/Les Schtroumpfs/蓝精灵 (1981)
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe/希曼：宇宙的巨人 (1983)
Inspector Gadget/神探加杰特 (1983)
Robotech/太空堡垒 (1984)
The Transformers/变形金刚 (1984)
She-Ra: Princess of Power/希瑞：非凡的公主 (1985)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/忍者神龟 (1986)
BraveStarr/布雷斯塔警长 (1987)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz/绿野仙踪 (1987)

JAPANESE

鉄腕アトム/铁臂阿童木/Astro Boy (1963)

一休さん/聪明的一休 (1975)
ドラえもん/ 哆啦A梦/Doraemon (1979)

Dr.スランプ/阿拉蕾/Dr. Slump (1981)
ドラゴンボール/七龙珠/Dragon Ball (1986)
聖闘士星矢/圣斗士星矢/Saint Seiya (1986)

スラムダンク/Slam Dunk/灌篮高手(1993)
名探偵コナン/名侦探柯南/Case Closed (1996)


OTHERS

60 Minutes (1968)

Dateline (1992)
Charlie Rose (1993)

Déjà Vu: Movies

A non-exhaustive list of movies I've seen and been impressed by...

CHINESE

红高粱/Red Sorghum (1987)
胭脂扣/Rouge (1987)

大红灯笼高高挂/Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
黄飞鸿/Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
秋菊打官司/The Story of Qiu Ju (1992)
推手/Pushing Hands (1992)
暗恋桃花源/The Peach Blossom Land (1993)
霸王别姬/Farewell My Concubine (1993)
青蛇/Ching Se (1993)
喜宴/The Wedding Banquet (1993)
大富之家/It's a Wonderful Life (1994)
东邪西毒/Ashes of Time (1994)
东成西就/The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1994)
活着/To Live (1994)
阳光灿烂的日子/In the Heat of the Sun (1994)
饮食男女/Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

赤子威龙/My Father is A Hero (1995)
大话西游/A Chinese Odyssey (1995)
我要活下去/I Want To Go On Living (1995)
摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥/Shanghai Triad (1995)
甜蜜蜜/Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1996)
半生缘/Eighteen Springs (1997)
不见不散/Be There or Be Square (1998)
我的父亲母亲/The Road Home (1999)

花样年华/In the Mood for Love (2000)
卧虎藏龙/Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
大腕/Big Shot's Funeral (2001)
十七岁的单车/Beijing Bicycle (2001)
蓝色大门/Blue Gate Crossing (2002)
无间道/Infernal Affairs (2002)
寻枪/The Missing Gun (2002)
英雄/Hero (2002)
手机/Cell Phone (2003)
可可西里/Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (2004)
天下无贼/A World Without Thieves (2004)

千里走单骑/Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005)
如果·爱/Perhaps Love (2005)
头文字D/Initial D (2005)
东京审判/The Tokyo Trial (2006)
疯狂的石头/Crazy Stone (2006)
满城尽带黄金甲/Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
伤城/Confession of Pain (2006)
不能说的秘密/Secret (2007)
色戒/Lust, Caution (2007)
投名状/The Warlords (2007)
海角七号/Cape No. 7 (2008)
非诚勿扰/If You are the One (2008)

AMERICAN/English

Gone with the Wind/乱世佳人 (1939)

Waterloo Bridge/魂断蓝桥 (1940)
Casablanca/北非谍影 (1942)

Singin' in the Rain/雨中曲 (1952)
Roman Holiday/罗马假日 (1953)
The Million Pound Note/百万英镑 (1953)
Rear Window/后窗 (1954)
Ben-Hur/宾虚 (1959)

My Fair Lady/窈窕淑女 (1964)
The Graduate/毕业生 (1967)

Patton/巴顿将军 (1970)
The Godfather/教父 (1972)
Star Wars/星球大战 (1977)
Death on the Nile/尼罗河的惨案 (1978)

The Gods Must Be Crazy/上帝也疯狂 (1980)
First Blood/第一滴血 (1982)
Evil Under the Sun/阳光下的罪恶 (1982)
Once Upon a Time in America/美国往事 (1984)
Top Gun/壮志凌云 (1986)
The Last Emperor/末代皇帝 (1987)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being/生命中不能承受之轻 (1988)

Home Alone/小鬼当家 (1990)
Jurassic Park/侏罗纪公园 (1990)
Pretty Woman/风月俏佳人 (1990)
Basic Instinct/本能 (1992)
Scent of a Woman/女人香 (1992)
Philadelphia/费城故事 (1993)
Schindler's List/辛德勒名单 (1993)
Sleepless in Seattle/西雅图不眠夜 (1993)
The Piano/钢琴课 (1993)
Forrest Gump/阿甘正传 (1994)
Four Weddings and a Funeral/四个婚礼和一个葬礼 (1994)
Legends of the Fall/燃情岁月 (1994)
Speed/生死时速 (1994)
The Lion King/狮子王 (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption/肖申克的救赎 (1994)
True Lies/真实的谎言 (1994)

Braveheart/勇敢的心 (1995)
Sabrina/情归巴黎 (1995)
Sense and Sensibility/理智与情感 (1995)
Seven/七宗罪 (1995)
The Bridges of Madison County/廊桥遗梦 (1995)
The English Patient/英国病人 (1996)
Face/Off/变脸 (1997)
Titanic/泰坦尼克号 (1997)
City of Angels/天使之城 (1998)
The Legend of 1900/海上钢琴师 (1998)
The Truman Show/楚门的世界 (1998)
Notting Hill/诺丁山情缘 (1999)

Gladiator/角斗士 (2000)
A Beautiful Mind/美丽心灵 (2001)
Bridget Jones's Diary/BJ单身日记 (2001)
Harry Potter/哈利·波特 (2001)
Ocean's Eleven/十一罗汉 (2001)
The Lord of the Rings/魔戒 (2001)
Finding Nemo/海底总动员 (2002)
The Hours/时时刻刻 (2002)
Lost in Translation/迷失东京 (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean/加勒比海盗 (2003)
Hotel Rwanda/卢旺达饭店 (2004)
Million Dollar Baby/百万宝贝 (2004)

Brokeback Mountain/断背山 (2005)
Memoirs of a Geisha/艺伎回忆录 (2005)
Blood Diamond/血腥钻石 (2006)
The Devil Wears Prada/穿普拉达的恶魔 (2006)
The Queen/女王 (2006)
Michael Clayton/迈克尔·克莱顿 (2007)
Kung Fu Panda/功夫熊猫 (2008)
WALL-E/机器人总动员 (2008)

JAPANESE

超時空要塞マクロス/超時空要塞/The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1984)
天空の城ラピュタ/天空之城/Castle in the Sky (1986)
となりのトトロ/龙猫/My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

情书/Love Letter (1995)
四月物語/April Story (1998)

FRENCH

Léon/这个杀手不太冷 (1994)

Chocolat/浓情巧克力 (2000)
Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain/天使爱美丽 (2001)
Le Papillon/The Butterfly/蝴蝶 (2002)
Les Choristes/The Chorus/放牛班的春天 (2004)

ITALIAN

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso/Cinema Paradiso/天堂电影院 (1988)

Al di là delle nuvole/Beyond the Clouds/云上的日子 (1995)
La vita è bella/Life is Beautiful/美丽人生 (1997)

Malèna/西西里的美丽传说 (2000)

KOREAN

엽기적인 그녀/我的野蛮女友/My Sassy Girl (2001)
/假如爱有天意/The Classic (2003)


DOCUMENTARY

Le Peuple Migrateur/The Traveling Birds/迁徙的候鸟 (2001)
Windsor Castle: A Royal Year (2006)

看不尽似水流年，逃不过此间少年

读着师姐的博客，我知道世间还有真正的爱情。一直都有，只是各人造化不同。

http://fz0512.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!CC3AD92907E5474E!9463.entry

http://www.douban.com/subject/3065232/



Niu Zhe at 11:04pm December 24

是的，永远相信有最最美好的事物存在，虽然并不一定都可以得到，但是却有着向它们无限靠近的可能，这便是理想了吧

My exit music, please

Went to see the Broadway musical "Chicago" today. It was terrific (I haven't seen the movie yet.) A perfectly suitable show for a lawyer-to-be, a nice review of crim law.

Gosh, I know that sounds lame. If it's strategically disadvantageous not being able to relinquish all memories of crime types immediately after the exam (to make room for civ pro and torts), it is downright inexcusable that I can still remember what is a "necessity defense" to this day. It's been 10 days!!

Dude, would you please just forget about it?



Qian Jiang at 11:33pm December 21

I love "Chicago" too.

2009 《财经》年会：预测与战略

Caijing Annual Conference 2009: Forecasts and Strategies (YouTube)

费厄泼赖

“traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice”

Milliken v. Meyer (U.S. 1940)
International Shoe Co. v. Washington (U.S. 1945)

《论“费厄泼赖”应该缓行》
鲁迅《坟》
北新书局 1929年



Sun Yi at 11:01pm December 11

oh no, civil procedure!
费厄泼赖，哈

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 11:03pm December 11

白话文的幼儿期，值得同情

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 1:01am December 12

鲁迅和international shoe的共同点在于它们都是必考内容，所以无论对错都得学好背会，有帐秋后再算。

Chingfei Kong at 7:51pm December 16

clam preclusion

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 9:21pm December 16

postmortem preclusion

Kong Fu Squirrel

you won't believe this

http://news.163.com/08/1211/09/4SSFF2320001121M.html



Steven Hsu at 10:27pm December 10

最後一張照片滿分啦！！

Tian Tian at 9:09am December 11

wow! that's amazing!

Bonnie Qin at 12:12pm December 11

Cool and amusing.:)

此生·风流

此生 （霹雳同人 舞先姬/六祸苍龙）

12月04日 16:14

起初的日子，不过清闲，未免沦于无聊。

风起的日子，凭栏远目，青山隐隐，几行征鸿愈飞愈远，断雁声中，碧草连天，天涯尽头，有琴声迢递，不知何处的人世悲欢，总是槛外事罢了。

不是没有想过离开。也曾梦到天海尽头，有繁花无数，云水静默。只是一个人的日子，到底哪里都是一般的无聊，再美的花，无非是一个人看过，赏过，叹过，一如我手中扇，再如何美总是独自的，流光暗换，未免凄凉。

留在阁中，倒是不一般的人来人往。许是有人慕了“桃李出深井，花艳惊上春”的浮名，许是有人闻得扇舞“沧海暗易，物转星移”之叹声，这香扇阁的名气却是一日盛过一日。可笑什么“道法阴阳，扇化春秋”，有人日日困守阁中，望断飞鸿，缭乱琴弦，却谩赢得“扇舞仙姬”的虚名。

若如此，这一生也不外如是罢。

那人到来之日，阁外正是暴雨如倾，阁中人声寂寥，雷声如龙吟不断，那人一身苍色衣衫，一字一顿道：我来此意，带你离开。天际惊雷乍起，滚滚而来，雪色电光下，阁外山影重重，直欲压将下来，来人衣裾飞扬，一张面容却是沉静若水，只一双眼灼灼，八方风雨中，他自道：名唤六祸苍龙，创立真龙妙道，欲携天下志士，挽生民于水火，救百姓于涂炭，闻我“扇化春秋”之异能，故亲来延请，要带我离开这百尺小楼一会江湖烟雨。语罢他一笑，解开身侧长铗，竟是弹指而击，从容歌道：天地为工兮造化为舟，生民若水兮斯何不休？吾将揽狂澜而涉道兮，慨天宇之将清。斯将往昔而同者谁？剑吟森森，天雷滚滚，天风吹开水晶帘，一袭雨水兜面泼来，我却只觉心头一腔热血滚滚，这小楼，终不得拘我一生若是。

随他离开，自此征途漫漫，陪他看尽春华秋月，流年辗转，竟不觉风霜满面。

也曾为治水患行经巴山蜀水。九秋霜天，一轮寒月落在一江水中，无风的水面平静似上好琉璃，映照青崖上那人雪色衣衫恰如水中花，凛凛然远若天涯。夜深凉雾渐起，有寒猿声声断肠，多情川女低低吟唱：巫山巫峡长，垂柳复垂杨。同心且同折，故人怀故乡。山似莲花艳，流如明月光。寒夜猿声彻，思人泪沾裳。

也曾登临九华山巅，浩浩山风，吹荡衣裳，足下万里江山缱绻如画，他乘兴临风长啸，击剑而吟，问他：是否想起当年雄心万丈？他傲然回首：我从不曾忘。眼底万里江山滔滔如是，多少权谋野望，皇图霸业，执著苦心，皆随他洒然一笑，灰飞烟灭，散入山林烟霞。

大丈夫生当如是，虽千万人吾往矣！

便是这般的人物，终也免不了英雄末路。三途川芳草萋萋，不知识否来人碧血前盟。他走那日，苍龙啸，乾坤翻覆，天地似有感，电闪雷鸣不断，依稀那日狂傲男子立于百尺楼头，灼灼闪电亦不掩其眉间狂放神气。他说：百年生人，莫若一瞬，而吾将不负天地哉！他说：大丈夫立世，感于天，动于地，而下抚其民，故男儿本色。他说：我辈英雄，岂与竖子稻粱谋？他说:我今日前来，必带你离开。区区小楼，岂能拘你江海一身？电光火石，浮生沧海，逝者如斯，昔人已殁。

终有日，独自行到天海尽头。一如梦中，有繁花无数，云水静默。回首来路，天长水阔，芳草连绵，悠远一如人世。只是不见伊人，一生亦不外如是，一世亦不外如此，如此过了…………

莫道繁花不解意，水流江去月无声。


风流

12月04日 16:05

何谓风流？

倚天拔剑观沧海，斜插芙蓉醉瑶台。

太白的诗。十步杀一人，千里不留行。事了拂衣去，深藏身与名。

后来还有人写道，满堂花醉三千客，一剑霜寒十九洲。

王摩诘的诗，文，书，画。行至水穷处，坐看云起时。

小杜的俊爽旷达，二十四桥明月夜，玉人何处教吹箫。

先秦诸子的嬉笑文章，最是庄周淘气，与造化小儿的两小无嫌猜，九万里大鹏扶抟直上，北溟之鱼终化为鲲。

还有信陵君的雪色衣裾拂过战国的滚滚烟尘；纵横捭阖，白起终祭起他渴饮众血的宝剑；最后是那一统天下，始皇登高睥睨的眼。 一个时代，诸色百像，风流云散。

阿瞒的文韬武略，沧海气深吞日月，雄心马上逐江山。周朗的羽扇纶巾，谈笑间赤壁樯橹灰飞烟灭。

右军的寒食贴，叔夜的广陵散。

子猷雪夜访戴，乘兴而去，兴尽而归。

唐传奇里，明月如霜，红拂对李靖嫣然一笑。

东坡居士的跌宕自喜，月白风清，如此良夜何？

春日煮酒邀花，夏夜对月理琴，秋来红叶满山，寒冬踏雪寻香。

最后有人击节唱：醉卧美人膝，醒掌天下权。箭簇满天金戈寒，一将功成骨如山，美人浅笑阴霾散，修罗血战意阑珊。

不著一字，尽得风流。

Crim finale

"No matter you are in litigation, transaction, public interest, business or others, I hope all of you will live up to the potential I saw in you throughout the semester."

--Professor Maria Marcus, Yale J.D. '57
December 4, 2008, Fordham Law School

China nation-wide school gymnatics, Series Eight

I, and almost every student in China used to do this together (in uniform) every morning during our junior and high school years. For me, I did Series 7 when younger and Series 8 when a little older. The change-of-series and promotions were most likely nation-wide (We had no internet then and could not have known; but based on anecdotal evidence and chatting with friends from other parts of the nation, the change should have occurred around the same time).

Kind of miss those good old days.

Finale

"We opened this book by examining the justifications for the adversarial system. And so we end."
--
Civil Procedure
Rowe, Sherry, and Tidmarsh
Second Edition, Foundation Press

My hearty thanks go to Professor Erichson, who made this supposedly boring course so fun.



Chingfei Kong at 12:28am December 2

My hearty thanks go to my brain and talent, who made this supposedly hard course so easy.

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 10:35am December 2

May God bless your abnormally big brain and impressively hard-core talents.

I pray for the joint and several health of them both.

团圆饭

今天是在美国的第四个感恩节。今天跟Steve抱怨了好几回，说一点都记不得去年感恩节做了些什么了，虽然零五、零六年的感恩节都还记忆犹新。Steve提醒我说可以查看一下邮件。费了老大劲把已经十分“厚重”的gmail往前翻了一年，看到的是Macy's的广告“ beat the crowd!”，纽约时报每天清晨的新闻摘要，几个朋友的祝福，还有跟老师要推荐信的邮件。

事实是，去年的感恩节我可能真的没做什么。因为刚到匹兹堡的那个月发生的一些事情，整个人尚处于绵绵不绝的余震阶段。因为在适应新城市新学校新专业的同时还一直秘密复习LSAT，跟后来玩得特别好的几个Tepper的中国同学也还没怎么接触……

写到这里突然想起来，那天应该是去廷龙英达敏杰家吃团圆饭去了，阳方也肯定是在的──就是后来的金刚五人组。不过依然想不起来那天的细节，足见我当时是多么的心不在焉，或者说心事重重。

嗯，跑题了。话说星期二放假后，楼里的同学们一个个拖着大包小包地回家团圆了，本来热闹非凡的宿舍楼一下变得冷冷清清。一个人站在电梯里自我安慰地想，人少了之后感觉就很像Midwest，所以偶也算是“回家”了。

今天我们四个1L约好了一人做一道菜，然后一起到我们宿舍来吃。Wei平时总说自己不谙厨艺，却做了三道大菜，装了四个大盒子，且色味俱佳，实在令我等垂涎三尺，喜极而泣。CF是刚离家三个月的大家拿小毛孩，从他在13楼的窝端上了一盆菜，非常的不上相，看得Wei和Steve连连摇头。我虽然也深感那盆貌似“土豆鸡丁”的菜长得也忒像一个pancake，但却并不灰心，因我从第一天就看出此孩有下厨的潜质（刚来Fordham的时候我厨具不齐，只好在他那里做），而我看人向来眼光独辣。开吃后大家发现这菜果然和他人一样的内秀，那土豆香脆可口，一问之下，原来先用醋过过，还真有点技术含量。Steve的珍珠奶饭把台湾美食发扬到了一个新的高度，成为每人面前的钦点主食，也因太好吃导致每人都吃得有点撑。我的那道菜就不说了，因为我只顾品尝新鲜美食，只吃了一口自己做的、那最熟悉的味道。

完后他们看电视，我洗碗，他们夸我“闲会”（闲在家里什么都不会），我油然想起自己的这点性格倒有点像妈妈。虽然早就了解自己热爱洗碗，但此时我才发现边享受水的按摩边从60度的角度看电视边听人有一搭没一搭地聊天是一种享受。在家过年的时候，妈妈也总是忙里忙外的收拾家里，爸爸和我叫她一起看电视，但她总说她忙得很快活，很快就弄好了。那时候只是觉得妈妈勤劳，不一定能体会她内心所想。今夜却突然有一点懂了。

平时大家总批评我不参加集体活动──其实不是这样的──但今天我要说，因为有了你们这几个朋友，纽约中城的这个小小公寓里，有了一种家的温暖；这个注定不能尽兴的感恩节，也因为你们，我会一直记得。

Wei Wang at 10:27pm November 27

哈哈，酸……

不过很开心呀～～贤惠的展先生！我应该把这抄到我的Space上去作个纪念，又省笔墨又省时间！

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 10:29pm November 27

抄吧抄吧，伟大厨

反正大家也无心学习，还真不如打牌呢

Wei Wang at 10:33pm November 27

qie~~我们都被你拒绝得心灰意冷，哪里还有兴趣？

现在说来是不是晚了？

等考试结束把……

Chingfei Kong at 10:34pm November 27

i used google translator and your post made no sense...

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 10:38pm November 27

kid, that's because I'm such a terrific writer in Chinese. You think google translator will make sense for a Supreme Court Justice's opinion?

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 10:39pm November 27

wei: 不要栽赃，是你先说不玩的，也是你拔腿先跑的。

Wei Wang at 11:36pm November 27

什么时候了，还有心思打牌……

早些时候你拒绝我们多少次了！！！5555……Steve多难过

Steven Hsu at 10:18am November 28哈哈哈哈哈
好感人的一篇文章

那結果王偉
妳回去唸書了嗎？
沒念就揍死妳啦

Bonnie Qin at 11:05am November 28

Mouth watering... So sad that Wei told me nothing was left...555555555555...

Bonnie Qin at 11:07am November 28

Didn't you guys take any pictures (of the food and the eaters)?

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 1:16pm November 28

steve: 扁她，我什么都没看见

bonnie: it's actually in my fridge...

出家无家

处处家

--For my fourth Thanksgiving in the States.



Yibo Zhang at 5:24pm November 27

Home is where the heart is.

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 5:30pm November 27

Thanks, Yibo. Hope all is well with you.

Yibo Zhang at 5:47pm November 27Eaten Turkey today? Happy Thxgiving!

平生只有两行泪

半为苍生半美人

──文怀沙

“诗中的苍生，指的是人民群众的整体，句中的美人，则指

个体的贤士君子与一般意义上的红粉佳人。这一脍炙人口的名句，把忧国忧民之心与爱贤爱美之情统一起来。”

这个解释好像拔高得有点厉害阿。。。



LI Bin at 12:41pm November 24

sign....Chinese education.

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 1:06pm November 24

well, it's actually a pretty creative interpretation...

Wei Wang at 3:09pm November 24

江山美人啊……

Bonnie Qin at 3:11pm November 24

Is this a 脍炙人口的名句? How come I never heard of this person...
Half plus half equals one. What is the other line of tears for?
苍生 and 美人 are not parallel terms.
Conclusion: this poem sucks.

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 5:59pm November 24

2的一半是1，1加1等于2，你离开祖国的怀抱已久，已经不能体察祖国文字的精妙细微之处，原谅你。

P.S. yes this poem sucks.

Civil Servants' physical power competition @ Hangzhou

浙江举行公务员体能测试比赛(组图)

http://news.163.com/08/1121/17/4R9QEOKQ0001125G.html

C the first reader's comment.

Man, open society.

halved sky

Nov 20, 7 pm, Hubei Province, China.

The sky was cut into halves by a huge piece of cloud with straight-lined edge.

http://news.163.com/08/1121/07/4R8PB4O100011229.html

Q&A: When the "Add" button in Mac Word is grayed out

Q:
I've finally gotten sick of seeing Word underline my last name on every paper I write in red, so I decided to add it instead of clicking Ignore all along during spell check. But, the Add button, and Add option on the right click menu, is disabled. Anyone know why? Thanks

A:
Word -> Preferences -> Spelling and Grammar -> Dictionaries button -> Create a new dictionary.

P.S. Especially for a law student, it feels so good to be able to "add" again--we write so many odd and uncommon words on a daily basis.



Bonnie Qin at 2:08pm November 19

Good to know.

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 6:44pm November 19

you don't even use Mac...

Jinjing Jiang at 11:32pm November 19

I do not even use word....Why not take a shot on Papers or freealternatives, such as NeoOffice?

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 11:34pm November 19

because the legal profession is very, very conservative

Can I cash my $450?

According the Nikkei, "Japan's most authoritative and influential business news publisher" (Isn't it more straightforward to just say "Japan's WSJ"):

WASHINGTON (Nikkei)--China has outstripped Japan as the top holder of U.S. Treasury securities, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Treasury Department.

http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/CF/FR/GATEWAY/rss_news.cfm?URL=/AC/TNKS/Nni20081118D18JFF04.htm&Check=1

China is holding America's T-Notes in the amount of 585 billion US Dollars.

585/1.3=450.

I mean, CAN I CASH MY $450? With that money I can get lots of good food to pull me through the finals, and a beautiful floor lamp so that I can stay in my cozy little room.

Knock on wood.

Now that I'm an expert on drug dealing

Thank you Fordham, for making me an expert on sexual harassment and drug dealing and ready to run for president of any underground gang in JUST three months.



Hogan Chao at 12:04pm November 17

long memo done?

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 12:07pm November 17

yep, slept 3 hours last night, looked around in class this morning and found lots of people who didn't sleep at all yet in terrific shape

Hogan Chao at 1:22pm November 17

very high!

Irene Yanhua Peng at 6:23am November 18

Enjoy! Now you would still talk about it as if it was something new... After another sem or yr, I am sure you'd take it as part of your normal life. The worse part? It's merely the beginning...

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 3:37pm November 18

Thanks Irene for your empathy

i thought 2L and 3L should be better, and then much tougher again when in the firm?

Sun Yi at 9:31pm November 18

I love the rape/sexual harassment cases! But I don't think we talked much about drug dealing....

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 11:15pm November 18

you love the rape...that's horrifying

La Dame aux Camélias

阿芒重回巴黎後，米利把茶花女的一本日記交給了他。日記

中寫道：「除了你的侮辱是你始終愛我的證據外，我似乎覺得你越是折磨我，等到你知道真相的那一天，我在你眼中也就會顯得越加崇高。」

阿芒懷著無限的悔恨與惆悵，為愛人瑪格麗特遷墳安葬，並在她的墳前擺滿了白茶花。



Facebook Comments:

Jinjing Jiang at 11:19pm November 14

......

How I Did Not Meet Your Mother

OK. Since so many people are whining about the "bare sticks day" today, I decide to tell a new story:

HOW I DID NOT MEET YOUR MOTHER

Worldwide season premiere will be on 11/11/2011. Stay tuned,

(Yeah, that's exactly 3 years from now! See how many new jobs I'm creating at this juncture of recession!!)


Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 12:26am November 12

Update: upon seeing my MSN tagline, poly commented

"how i did not meet your mother“..
sounds like what gay couple would say to their surrogate child

darn quirky little mind

【冰点】：可怕的是只有两种声音

——极端民族主义与民族虚无主义的网络激荡

《中国青年报》

“2008年，中国发生了许多惊天动地的事情：南方冰雪，拉萨骚乱，火炬传递受阻，汶川地震，台湾反贪，北京奥运，山西矿难，三聚氰胺……

许多事件在网络上都引起了激烈的争吵。与近些年我们已经见惯了的网络争吵模式相符，最洪亮的总是来自两个相反的极端的声音。”

--kudos to poly

有两首非常著名的诗歌，且摘读其中最著名的几句——

天灾难避死何诉，
主席唤，总理呼，
党疼国爱，声声入废墟。
十三亿人共一哭，
纵做鬼，也幸福。
（王兆山《江城子》）

假如有来生，
当兵只当美国兵。
假如今生注定死于战火，
就作美国精确制导炸弹下的亡灵。
（焦国标《致美国兵》）

王兆山先生和焦国标先生立场截然相反无疑。但这两首诗的思维模式和视人命如草芥的价值观，却完全相同！

......

中国“右愤”与石原等日本“右愤”的区别在于，中国“右愤”坚信“美国总是对的”，“美国伟大光荣正确”，像石原他们那样妄图对美国说“不”，本身就是错的，就是愚昧，就是“脑残”。

在中国“左愤”们眼里，美国除了有钱有枪，其他基本上一无是处，中国没有必要向美国学习，而应该同它作殊死的斗争；而在中国“右愤 ”们眼里，美国就是已经落实到了地面上的完美乌托邦，向美国学习，就必须怀着无限崇拜的心态去学，谁要是认为美国并非十全十美，我们必须学其长而避其短，那就不是真学，甚至那就不是真的对外开放。

......

就在同一时间，网上还发生过另外一波殊途而同归的“各说各话”。今年春夏以来，台湾海峡上空弥漫着近20年来罕见的浓郁的和平气息。对于两岸的人民，这种局面是多么可贵！但极左和极右的人却全都对此感到不舒服。一家著名的极左网站发出多篇文章，指责中央的对台政策太软了，让步太多了，太不坚持原则了。大陆另一家著名右翼网站则指责马英九对大陆太软了，让步太多了，鼓励他“联合美日，使劲向大陆施压，完全不用害怕”。

双方立场截然相反，但其努力的目标都是一个——鼓动两岸重新进行对抗。

这种“冷战尚未结束，同志仍须努力”的思维，意识形态挂帅的思维，“汉贼不两立”的思维，是多么吓人！



Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 10:42pm November 5

although I think it's not entirely their fault--people are forced to the two extremes only by an environment that neither fully honor and protect the freedom of speech, nor (at least strive to) provide unfiltered information.

Heads up Renda Alumni

Just did a little research about fan numbers across schools:

As of Sunday Oct 26, 2008

Peking University: 978 fans
Tsinghua University: 552 fans
Fudan University: 227 fans
Shanghai Jiaotong/Jiao Tong University: hum...doesn't seem to have a page yet
USTC: 50 fans
Zhejiang University: 44 fans
Nanjing University: no page...
Tongji University: no...

Let's beat them (we already 22 fans within Day One of birth!)

Update (1-5-09):

Peking University: 1727 fans
Tsinghua University: 1006 fans
Fudan University: 620 fans
Zhejiang University: 281 fans
Renmin University of China: 210 fans
Shanghai Jiao Tong University: 176 fans
USTC: 134 fans

Fordham page created

Just created pages for Fordham and Renda, respectively. So many schools have their own pages (WashU, CMU, Peking U, Tsinghua, to name a few) where alumni flock. Let's become fans too!!!

If you'd like to, just follow the links on my wall, right below this note ("Lawrence became a fan of Fordham University/Renmin University of China.")

诗经·鼠嗜米

kudos to XL

大家都骂杨老鼠、刀螂和旁聋之流恶俗，如果他们是在春秋

时期唱那些歌，或许，也会被选入《诗经》呢......

《老鼠爱大米》：
我听见你的声音
有种特别的感觉
让我不断想不敢再忘记你
我记得有一个人
永远留在我心中
哪怕只能够这样的想你
如果真的有一天
爱情理想会实现
我会加倍努力好好对你永远不改变
不管路有多么远
一定会让它实现
我会亲亲在你耳边对你说(对你说)
我爱你爱着你
就像老鼠爱大米
不管有多少风雨我都会依然陪着你
我想你想着你
不管有多么的苦
只要能让你开心我什么都愿意
这样爱你

《诗经·鼠嗜米》：
吾闻君声，乃有异觉
辗转思之，毋敢相忘
君在我心，永难忘之
若当其日，诸愿皆偿
吾爱静女，上可鉴之
途远且艰，吾可誓之：
吾爱静女，如鼠嗜米
风来雨打，永世同心
君在我心，纵苦纵难
惟愿君喜，九死无悔！

http://cache.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/funinfo/1/1062439.shtml



Comments (posted on Facebook)

Xinlin Li at 10:48pm October 22

哈哈

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 12:21am October 23

hehe, hope you don't mind...I acknowledged:-) it's just so fun

Edmund Keung at 11:50am October 23

碩鼠碩鼠 ...

要造就一大批人

“要造就一大批人，这些人是革命的先锋队。这些人具有政治远见，这些人充满着斗争精神和牺牲精神。这些人是胸怀坦白的、忠诚的、积极的、正直的。这些人不谋私利，唯一的为着民族与社会的解放，这些人不怕困难，在困难面前总是坚定的，勇敢向前的。这些人不是狂妄分子，也不是风头主义者，而是脚踏实地富于实际精神的人们，中国要有一大群这样的先锋分子，中国革命的任务就能够顺利的解决。”

毛泽东为陕北公学（中国人民大学前身）题词
1937年10月23日

best one-liner ever

"I have nothing to declare except my genius."

--Oscar Wilde, upon arriving at US customs 1882.

Adium 1.3.2 supports offline messaging

Released on Oct 9, 2008, the latest version of Adium finally supports invisible/offline messaging. Mac is getting friendlier!

Try it out.

WashU and Presidential Debate

from wiki

Washington University is well known for hosting United States Presidential and Vice Presidential debates. The University has been selected to host a Presidential or Vice Presidential debate in every United States Presidential election since 1992. United States presidential election debates were held at the Washington University Field House in 1992, 2000, and 2004. A Presidential debate was planned to occur in 1996, but scheduling difficulties between the candidates canceled the debate.[14] The university has been selected to host the only 2008 Vice Presidential debate, between Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden, D-DE, on October 2, 2008.[15]

Although Chancellor Wrighton has previously noted after the 2004 debate that it would be "improbable" that the University will host another debate and was not eager to commit to the possibility,[16] he subsequently changed his view and the University submitted a bid for the 2008 debates. "These one-of-a-kind events are great experiences for our students, they contribute to a national understanding of important issues, and they allow us to help bring national and international attention to the St. Louis region as one of America's great metropolitan areas," said Wrighton.


Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 5:10pm October 2

Although WashU has hosted Presidential Debate 3 times, I've never been to one...

曼哈顿有多大?

陆地面积60平方公里，水域28平方公里。

相当于北京市海淀区（426平方公里）的七分之一，或者

东城区（25平方公里）和西城区（32平方公里）加起来那么大。

香港岛的面积大概是80平方公里，比曼哈顿大三分之一。

这大概就是为什么在这儿去哪里都只要走走就到了吧。

人们总说香港是弹丸之地，却不怎么听人说曼哈顿是弹丸之地，也许因为香港离开了祖国的怀抱一百年，而曼哈顿却始终与广袤的腹地相连，而且是很多人来到这片土地的第一站。

在八卦与八股间挣扎

Now that I'm an expert on sexual harassment after writing the memo, I decide to provide free consultation to whoever is troubled by your boss at workplace ^=^



Comments (posted on Facebook)

Hogan Chao at 10:17pm September 28

good, tell me whats the ground for being charged of sexual harassment, i will see if i need some improvement *_*

Kai Zhao at 4:19pm September 29

serious? u were harassed by your boss? haha

Chingfei Kong at 5:33pm September 29

you're an expert on sexual harassment? Then you must be really experienced at it.

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 7:22pm September 29

kai: the subject matter of the memo is sexual harassment...

cf: thanks to u, kid

Kai Zhao at 8:18pm September 29

zhan: I knew it...haha

Mac iTunes 中文乱码解决办法

进入Windows，
下载安装千千静听，
把所有需要处理的歌曲添加到播放列表里，
全选，右键选择批量文件属性，
写入类型选择ID3v2，并选择UTF-16编码，
在右下角点击保存到文件，
搞定。



Comments (posted on Facebook)

Hogan Chao at 7:55pm September 27

好办法!

zz:史记·80后表

初从文，廿六乃成，负债十万。觅生计，十年无休，披星戴月秉烛达旦，蓄十万。不足购房，遂投股市，翌年缩至万余，抑郁成疾。医保曰：不符大病之条例，拒赔。乃倾其所有入院一周，无药自愈。友怜之，赊三鹿一包，冲而饮，卒。

孔宪政：谦谦君子，温润如玉-----温家宝纽约侨领见面会记实

Xianzheng is an old friend of mine at Renmin University, and president of Cornell University CSSA. He generously permitted me to sleep in his dorm when I visited Cornell in the summer, while he was a volunteer school teacher in the earthquake-stricken Sichuan Province. In this article he offers observations and thoughts of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to New York yesterday.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 11:23am

早上7点挣扎着爬起来，换上正装去纽约参加美东地区侨界代表见面会。

其实两年前在中南海怀仁堂见过一次温总理，但那次是欣赏京剧，没有听他讲话。因此这次抱着学习的目的去参加驻联合国和纽约领馆举办的见面会。

地点在各国元首来纽约都会下榻的华尔道夫饭店。进门还是有点失望的，虽然装饰比一般的五星级酒店豪华，但没有想象的那么好，演讲会举办地点18楼星光大厅也相当不错，不过感觉气势还不如人民大会堂香港厅。

进门见到一排领导座位，匆匆扫了一眼，除了温总理外还有发改委主任张平，外交部长杨洁篪，国务院政策研究办公室主任谢伏瞻，联合国副秘书长沙祖康偕夫人，驻美大使周文重偕夫人，驻联合国大使王光亚偕夫人，驻纽约总领事彭克玉偕夫人，还有一个名字不认识。

等了20分钟后，温总理和一众高官步入星光大厅，全场起立鼓掌。

讲话要点：

表示道歉，因接受新闻周刊和CNN记者采访，让大家久等，以及没有照顾到美西的华人。

讲了对今年的三件大事的看法。地震：中华民族一直在灾难中学会坚强。将在三年内基本恢复灾区生产生活。奥运：中国的百年梦想，这次举办的非常成功。改革开放三十周年：认为只要政策得当，中国还会持续增长二十年。最后提到了奶粉事件，表示会重视食品安全问题。

风度：
一派谦谦君子，温润如玉的风范。打招呼亲切自然，没有架子。头发线条分明，一丝不苟。（其他众高官的头发貌似大多都是前面有形，顶上比较乱）。

演讲优点：

1。没有套话，讲的很朴素，很实在，也很深情感人。
2。积极乐观，很有鼓动性。
3。缓慢，坚定有力，咬字非常清楚，没有稿子，每一句话说得掷地有声。
4。音调浑厚，有质感。

内容和发音水平比王光亚高一截。王光亚音调较尖，比温总理的声线差很多。当然，王光亚脱稿清楚流利，记忆准确周到，自然得体，没有冗音，已经比外交口99%的人强了。

演讲缺点：

1。不够生动形象。讲到两个目标的时候太过抽象，不容易记。不如朱镕基的"是个清官" "地雷阵"等等好记。
2。没有太多创新。(可以理解）
3。两处硬伤：1) 在美华人不是最多的，东南亚才是。2)美西说成了美东。（这个多半是因为累了）
4。偶尔有e音。

全场鼓掌近百次。感觉得出来是大家发自内心的想鼓，和礼节性的鼓掌截然不同。当讲到当官不避责的时候，掌声长达一分多钟。

不过有两处我没有鼓掌：

1．"我们立即严肃查处了事件的肇事者和责任人。"这一点我没有鼓掌，因为我认为责任人还没有得到应有的惩处。

2．"有人问我：中国作为发展中国家，花那么多钱办奥运值不值。我反问他，难道办奥运是发达国家的专利么。"此句我觉得不妥，因为是偷换概念。人家问的是为什么要花那么多钱，并不是说不应该办。

最后退场时发现赶车时间来不及了，仅剩40分钟。而必须得赶上6点半的车。否则明天早上8点40的课就没法上了。一看电梯门口全是人，我们当机立断，从18 楼走楼梯下去，然后坐上了出租车。没想到Park Street堵车厉害。(难道是德意志银行，UBS,CITI又有新闻了么)。一看形势不妙，还有25分钟。我们立刻结账，弃车而下，一路狂奔。于是路上行人看到两个穿西装的人在第五大道47街到第八大道42街之间奔跑。希望没人认为是警匪枪战。

边跑边看时间，紧张程度感觉像林彪飞夺泸定桥，李世民夜趋虎牢关。最后到达Port Authority之后立刻兵分两路，师兄去买票，我去拦住司机，终于在开车前两分钟踏上了回程的汽车。

车上仔细想来，温家宝确实是一个优秀的总理。没有很多豪言壮语，但很多政策润物细无声，落在了实处，例如取消农业税和农村学杂费，比税费改革什么的强多了。我就非常欣赏这样朴素实际的作风。如果要说缺点，我觉得是有的事情的处理过于细节，过于体贴周到了。如果温家宝不是那么体贴，那么周到，事事都冲在第一线，而是能多匀一些时间去想更多重要问题，对中国会更好。但他的难处也很多，办事能让他放心的手下太少了。

温总理在最后希望大家能够促进中美友好交流，以各种形式报效祖国。因此我在这里把他的愿望转达给大家。不论你在中国还是美国，是从事科学，实业，政治还是艺术。希望你能记得一个老人的嘱托。

贬谪孔庆妃

庆妃，我代表政府代表人民正式贬你为昭仪。

你知道一个昭仪要多少年才能升为妃子吗？八年。八年啊！

中间要熬过多少通宵，忍受多少痛苦，才能博得皇上的欢心，向皇上证明“Yes We Can!” 同时还要躲过其他昭仪的多少明枪暗箭！要知道，二十个昭仪里面只有一个能升为妃子！

但你就因为一时的草率丧失了别人要八年才能得到的封号。你的俸禄即日起从28石降为16石。现在，你可以去撞墙了。

这还不是最严厉的惩罚。若有再犯，你将被贬为才人。才人升为昭仪需要三年，其中第一年尤为痛苦，而且才人没有俸禄，必须终日做女红作为对后宫的奉献。庆妃，以你的年轻，你的美貌，本来完全有希望在35岁前升为皇后，母仪天下。你的今天完全是咎由自取，我为你感到可惜啊！望深自反省，回头是岸！

Thoughtfulness and multi-tasking capacity

Has there been any research on this topic yet? I propose a negative correlation, although apparently some qualifications are needed here. I'm not in the research business anymore but would love to see some results coming out. Or it's just another topic that nobody even cares?

The thing is, normally my time running in the central park is the most productive (thought-wise) period in the day; but as I plugged in those little white earbuds to celebrate the one-year birthday of my nano and strutted onto the park, I walked away with a blank head after twenty minutes or so. A tenderly swelling sort of blankness, to be precise.

And an equally if not more tenderly burst of thoughts ensues when it's unplugged. Compensation effect?

A note about Google Scholar: whenever I search for "multi-tasking" with GS the results tend to be unsatisfactory. Those papers in engineering/ergonomics tend to top the chart, but they are at best remotely relevant to my question. Looks like the word who enjoys celebrity status in our lingua franca has a *humble* origin from engineering. How to confine the results to psychology/neuroscience/social science?

For instance, several months ago I was searching "multi-tasking and gender difference", a topic that had intrigued me for a long time. But the question remains unanswered. Not at a time when PhDs are fretting about the shortage/elusiveness of dissertation topics, right?

刘伯温 （1311-1375 AD）

维基百科

刘基（1311年7月1日－1375年4月16日），字

伯温，谥文成，温州文成县南田人（旧属青田县）。元末明初军事家、政治家及诗人，通经史、晓天文、精兵法。他以辅佐朱元璋完成帝业、开创明朝并使尽力保持国家的安定，因而驰名天下，被后人比作为诸葛亮。朱元璋多次称刘基为：“吾之子房也。”

早年生活

刘基，字伯温，生于元武宗至大四年六月十五（1311年7月1日）。自幼性情奇迈，神智过人。由父亲启蒙识字，十分好学。据说阅读速度极快，可以“七行俱下”。


──这要是来念 law school ，那肯定考第一啊！

zz: 空姐崩溃的一天

（登机中，空姐MM在机门口迎客，上来一位帅哥……）

空姐MM：“欢迎您登机，请问您是什么座？”

帅哥：“我是天蝎座，你呢！”

空姐（一脸害羞状）：“真的嘛，好巧噢，我也是天蝎座耶

……”

后面排队的乘客晕倒。

------------------------------------------

（登机完毕，广播响起……）

空姐：“女士们，先生们，欢迎乘坐本次航班，请您坐在跑道上，系好安全带，我们的飞机马上就要起飞了……”

乘客暴寒……

----------------------------------------------

（空姐打起精神继送饮料中……）

空姐：“先生您是喝橙汁还是喝苹果汁？”

旅客：“你们这儿的橙汁有苹果味儿的吗？”

空姐继续晕眩中……

------------------------------------

（空姐扶墙送饮料中……）

空姐：“您好，请问有什么可以帮您的吗？

旅客：“能要一杯水吗？”

空姐：“当然可以，矿泉水吗？”

旅客：“有果汁吗？”

空姐：“有，橙汁和桃汁请问需要哪一种？”

旅客：“有可乐吗？”

空姐：“有，需要加冰吗？”

旅客：“那给我一咖啡吧！”

空姐：@％￥@^&×……

-----------------------------------------

（空姐MM手拿两 咖啡回?客舱……）

这时，一位旅客指着窗外问空姐：“小姐，这是什么湖啊？”

空姐MM回答：“咖啡壶。”

旅客晕眩中……

------------------------------------------------

（叮咚，呼唤铃响了……）

旅客：“小姐，有指甲剪吗？”

空姐：“您当我是机器猫啊……”

---------------------------------------

（不知不觉，供餐时间又到了，空姐MM开始送食品……）

空姐：“先生，我们有鸡肉米饭和鱼肉米饭，请问您吃哪种？”

旅客：“排骨！”

空姐：“先生，我们有鸡肉米饭、鱼肉米饭，请问您选哪种？”

旅客：“排骨！”

空姐（沉默片刻后）：“我们有鸡排骨和鱼排骨，您吃哪种？”

--------------------------------------------------------

（空姐继续晕眩送饭中……）

空姐：“请问牛和鱼您喜欢哪种？”

乘客：“好的，我要‘牛和’。”

空姐：“是牛，和鱼。”

乘客：“哦！那我要‘和鱼’。”

------------------------------------------------------

（飞机还在滑行中，旅客就已经都站起来拿行李了，为了安全，空姐又拿起了广播......)

原本，空姐MM应该说：“女士们，先生们，我们的飞机还在滑行，请您坐好，并关闭头顶上方的行李架。”结果，她一着急广播成了：“女士们，先生们，我们的飞机滑得还行……”

这时候，“叮咚～”内话机又响了，里面传来机长的声音：“谁夸我呢？”

空姐崩溃中……

--------------------------------------------------------

（飞机终于停下了，空姐MM心里老想着赶班车去东直门肯德基餐厅和男友约会，于是广播又传来如下温馨提示……）

“女士们，先生们，我们的飞机已经抵达首都北京东直门肯德基机场……再见～”

旅客疯了……



Comments (posted on Facebook)

Kai Zhao at 2:52am September 6

haha

Xiaole Wu at 8:20pm September 6

fun..

Isabella Yuan at 11:43pm September 6

LOL~~ thanks for sharing :)

Jane Zhou at 5:07pm September 11

This is SO funny!

The Beijing Olympics

Yahoo Sports: Opening Ceremony’s memorable moments (8-8-08)

Friday’s Opening Ceremony was one of the few moments in the fantastical world of sports when superlatives had no shot.

NYTimes: NBC Gets Record Rating for Tape-Delayed Opening Ceremony (8-9-08)

NBC: U.S., China put on a show for the fans by Alan Paul (8-10-08)

The China/USA basketball game is said to have been the most watched ever, with over 1 billion viewers. It was certainly the most exciting I've ever been to over a decade of covering NBA and college games as a Senior Writer for Slam magazine.

The intensity of the anticipation before the game was palpable. The walls of the building felt like they were pulsating. What made for such a remarkable atmosphere was that the sold out crowd was rooting almost equally hard for both teams.

Team USA's introduction induced cheers every bit as hearty as those that greeted the Chinese players. Kobe Bryant's greeting was louder and more positive than anyone's. And the crowd was cheering every great move by both teams.

Center Chris Bosh said that seeing the President before the game and knowing he was watching gave the team an extra push.

"Playing with USA on your chest and knowing the President is watching makes for a very patriotic moment," he said.

NYTimes: Beijing Puts On Happy Face for Games, Without Wrinkles (8-10-08)

An immense number of young people are working at the Olympics, seemingly all of them cheerful and friendly.

Almost a million people applied to be volunteers; a tenth of them were chosen. Successful applicants had to pass two rounds of written examinations and interviews. Tony Qi, who is working as a driver, said he had to pass tests in English, in driving skill and in knowledge of the Olympics.

Volunteers with the best linguistic skills appear to have been assigned the best jobs — the indoor ones, interacting with the news media. Those less fluent were put on traffic or security detail and stand out in the smog all day.

But almost everyone knows at least “Hello,” “O.K.” and “Have a good day,” so it’s possible for English-speaking visitors to have friendly conversations not much different from the ones they have in the elevator every morning back home.

NYTimes: After Glow of Games, What Next for China? (8-24-08)

In its post-Olympic era, the question is whether the success of the games will lead China to domestic reforms or convince leaders that their current model is working.

张五常：雄军尽墨话当年─忆容国团 (4-28-89)

一九八九年世界乒乓球赛在西德举行，中国大陆的男子选手全军尽墨!三十年前，在同一地方，我的好友容国团在世界男子单打的决赛中，左推右扫，把匈牙利名将西多杀得片甲...

十年后，我从芝加哥转到西雅图的华盛顿大学任教，驾车到温哥华一行，遇到了一位从中国大陆来的乒乓球员，就很自然地向他问及容国团的情况。他回答说：“他在去年(六八年)死了，是自杀的。”晴天霹雳，我泪下如雨。

我一向知道容国团热爱国家。但当我在一九六三年回港一行时，一位共识的朋友对我说，他变得很崇拜毛主席，对共产主义有万分热情，当时我就有点替他担心。一九六七年我到了芝加哥大学，在邹谠那里知道不少有关文革的事情，也知道那些小小的红卫兵像费沙那样，将资本的概念一般化。我于是想，乒乓的球技也是资本，不知容国团怎样了?一九六八年，我为此在《政治经济学报》上发表了《费沙与红卫兵》(《Irving Fisher and the Red Guards》)，指出红卫兵的资本概念是正确的，但假若他们真的要消灭资产阶级，乒乓球的高手也...

NYTimes: Despite Flaws, Rights in China Have Expanded

Despite Flaws, Rights in China Have Expanded

Source: www.nytimes.com

"Political change in China, however gradual and inconsistent, has made it a significantly more open place for many people than it was a generation ago."

WSJ: China Takes a More Open Stance With Foreign Press

China Takes a More Open Stance With Foreign Press

Source: online.wsj.com

BEIJING -- China made two gestures toward greater openness as President Hu Jintao held his first news conference ever with foreign journalists, while authorities unblocked several Web sites that they had censored in recent weeks, provoking blistering international criticism.

Tsunhin John Wong at 2:57pm August 2
It's also very important for PRC government to be more open to giving local press more freedom, letting local Chinese in PRC to know what is happening in the country, and accepting criticism from all directions.

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

The Atlantic

What the Internet is doing to our brains

"And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski."

"Google’s headquarters, in Mountain View, California—the Googleplex—is the Internet’s high church, and the religion practiced inside its walls is Taylorism. ... Drawing on the terabytes of behavioral data it collects through its search engine and other sites, it carries out thousands of experiments a day, ..."

"I’m haunted by that scene in 2001. ... In the world of 2001, people have become so machinelike that the most human character turns out to be a machine. That’s the essence of Kubrick’s dark prophecy: as we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence."

Mr. Murdoch Goes to War

Mr. Murdoch Goes to War

Source: www.theatlantic.com

Rupert Murdoch wants his Wall Street Journal to displace The New York Times as the world’s paper of record. His ambitions could be good news for the newspaper industry— or another nail in the coffin of serious journalism.

longish piece, exceedingly well written. I think the author has reason to be unhappy with Rupert.

"Bruce Dover, in his book, China Adventures, tells the story of how Murdoch, on the night of the formal handover of power in Hong Kong to the Chinese government, found himself by a series of accidents alone on foot in Kowloon, lost, trying to find his way back to his hotel with neither money nor cell phone. He wandered for hours, melting in stifling humidity, unable to make himself understood, and when he did finally find his hotel, he was barred from entering by guards who were unimpressed with his protestations in English and his lack of an invitation or an ID. Dover, one of his executives, was at long last summoned to the outer gate to investigate the stubborn imprecations of a damp, walletless old man. Dover found Murdoch actually cheerful, or at least “in surprisingly good humor.”

“What an adventure!” the tycoon said. "

Randy Pausch

NYTimes: ‘Last Lecture’ Professor Randy Pausch, 47, Dies

Nicholas D. Kristof: Building Schools in Afghanistan

It Takes a School, Not Missiles

Source: www.nytimes.com

Greg Mortenson has spent less than one-ten-thousandth as much as the Bush administration to help fight terrorism in Pakistan. Instead of blowing things up, he builds schools.

NYTimes: In Changing Face of Beijing, a Look at the New China

In Changing Face of Beijing, a Look at the New China

Source: www.nytimes.com

"The aura of China’s new architecture has as much to do with intellectual ferment as economic clout."

Marvelous piece of writing by Nicolai Ouroussoff.

"It remains to be seen where this will lead. For centuries, architects have aspired to create buildings that enlighten or transform civilization, only to see them remain isolated splendors, with little impact on society at large. That may prove to be the case in China, too.

But there is no question that its role as a great laboratory for architectural ideas will endure for years to come. One wonders if the West will ever catch up."

NYTimes: On Campus, the ’60s Begin to Fade as Liberal Professors Retire - NYTimes.com

On Campus, the ’60s Begin to Fade as Liberal Professors Retire

Source: www.nytimes.com

"Hired during an expansion in higher education, baby boomers are being replaced by a new generation."

Fantastic article on the generational shift of American faculty's political bent. Main point is that the younger generation of professors (especially in social sciences) are evidently more moderate and less ideological than those from the baby-boom era.

NYTimes: 36 Hours in Pittsburgh

36 Hours in Pittsburgh

Source: travel.nytimes.com

"Great restaurants, excellent shopping, breakthrough galleries and prestigious museums make this city of 89 distinct neighborhoods a hip destination."

Most Emailed #2 on NYTimes, as of now

Hogan Chao at 10:08pm July 5

man...you should get this when i was there...orz...

Lawrence Zhan Zhang at 10:18pm July 5

it's a new article...

60 Minutes: Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook on 60 Minutes 01-13-08

Source: www.youtube.com

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the social networking Website, Facebook.

Finally, Renda is a network!

I just noticed my alma mater, Renmin University of China is now a network.

This may not be news so please bear with my belated excitement...I still remember more than a year ago me and some friends were writing petition letters to ask why Renda, an overseas university and one of China's best is not a network.

So here's this place we can call home, and I'd like to nudge my alumni to happily join this network! We only have hundreds of people now and I know there are many more of you unwittingly crouching there, just like I did until today:-)

Runner's high, again

Folks:

When do you usually get your runner's high? I mean on a standard 400 meters track.

I usually get mine around Round 8 or so; that's 2 miles. A little too fast uh?

I blogged about running last month:

O~ Beechwood

http://ekissinger521.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!1E0FC9BD030D7CDE!2388.entry

In which I cited this article (March 27, 2008) from the New York Times:

Yes, Running Can Make You High

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/health/nutrition/27best.html?ex=1364270400&en=44c391fe05dfbef7&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Jenny's Journey

Jenny's Journey

"Jenny is a 14 year old with a rapidly progressing paralysis. We are looking for other people like her in an effort to find treatment. If you think you might know someone like Jenny, please contact us at ..."

Jenny is the daughter of Prof. Philip Tetlock at UC Berkeley. Her parents are now desperate.

A melancholic Chinese Song

I'm testing a newly-learned way of playing music in blog...

The singer was Anita Mui Yim-fong (梅艷芳,1963.10.10~2003.12.30), a Hong Kong singer and actress. She was an extremely popular icon in the 80s and 90s, unprecedented and perhaps unsurpassed by anybody in the region.

The song is named "Woman the Flower", dated around 1997, sung in Mandarin Chinese (she usually sang in Cantonese.)

Talking about "Petition to the City of New Haven Board of Aldermen"

Mr. Zheng Yeqing is a friend of mine and a JD student at Yale Law School.

Reminds me of an earlier article, "One Olympic Victory" on the Wall Street Journal's Opinion page (February 19, 2008), by Hollywood actress Mia Farrow and her son Ronan Farrow. Mr. Farrow is also a student at YLS. I respectfully disagree with the Farrows.

Quote

Petition to the City of New Haven Board of Aldermen

Dear Aldermen,

We are a group of Chinese students and scholars at Yale University. We are writing to apply for permission to host a public gathering of approximately 500 people in an appropriate public space on the afternoon of April 26^th, 2008.

It has recently been brought to our attention that the Board of Aldermen has approved street closure for a mock torch relay on April 26^th, 2008 to protest against China’s alleged human-rights violations. While we sincerely appreciate and share your concern with China's human rights conditions, we feel the responsibility to make our own voice heard as well—a voice which we believe represents the vast majority of the Chinese community in New Haven. Our peaceful gathering will aim to present a balanced picture of Chinese human rights conditions and to promote the Olympic spirit of unity, inclusiveness, and equality. This event is jointly organized by the students and scholars of Yale University and leaders of the local Chinese community.

We, overseas Chinese, perhaps care more than anyone else about human rights in China. Every human rights violation in China potentially affects our families and friends residing in China. Our deepest gratitude goes to the well-meaning Americans who not only welcome our stay and accept us into the community, but also endeavor to improve human rights in China. Nevertheless, we are exceedingly regretful that this good intention is being exploited by special interest groups to further their own agenda.

The Falun Gong group and its affiliates, the major organizers of this mock torch relay, are not truthful promoters of human rights. The Falun Gong group's track records are replete with exaggerations and fantasies. The group is marked by their outright hostilities toward China, and some of their claims have been discredited by the United States government. We are concerned that this mock torch relay may turn out to be another public display of vicious and untruthful attacks on China. In that case, it would be a mistake to honor their causes as promoting “human right,” and indeed, it would be a mockery to the sacrifice that Chinese people have made.

We recognize and appreciate legitimate concerns for human right violations in China. We do not unconditionally endorse actions of the Chinese government. But we also want nothing short of a truthful presentation of the human rights conditions in China. A biased picture provided by special interest groups would not help promote human rights in China. On the contrary, it would endanger further improvements by inviting cynicism and distrust.

Presenting the public with a balanced image of modern China is also of vital interest to the United States. A one-sided version that demonizes China would not only cloud the judgment of the citizens in both countries, but also create misunderstandings and hostilities between the two governments. At this delicate moment, an open-minded citizen would certainly appreciate a different opinion of China. The world expects the United States and China to address human rights issues in an open and collaborative manner, not in antagonism and isolation.

We also believe that the Olympic torch, a symbol of understanding and cooperation that transcends national, cultural, and racial boundaries, should not be mocked. The history of New Haven, shaped by immigration and integration, is a history of bringing people together regardless of their cultural heritage or race. We hope that our public gathering will confirm and further the ideals of this city, ideals that echo with the Olympic spirit of promoting peace and cooperation without discrimination.

In addition, we would like to briefly note the violence that occurred during the recent anti-China protests in San Francisco, Paris, and London. Dozens of protesters were arrested for their aggressive and violent behavior, many of whom are associated with the organizers of this mock torch relay. The principal organizer of New Haven's protest, the local Falun Gong Club, has had a troubled relationship with the Chinese community. Members of our group have been threatened or aggressively harassed by the Falun Gong Club, and many of them have expressed concerns that the anti-China sentiments stirred by this mock torch relay may affect their future safety..

We will promptly provide any further information of our proposed gathering upon request. We look forward to your understanding and support, and thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Yeqing Zheng

Committee of Supporting Beijing Olympics at Yale

April 18th, 2008

Sarkozy's sympathy letter to Jin Jing

On April 21, Christian Poncelet, President of the French Senate, came to Shanghai and brought a sympathy letter by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Jin Jing, the Chinese Paralympic fencer and torch bearer during the Olympic Torch Relay in Paris. Jin Jing was repeatedly attacked by Tibet-independence protesters, an incident that sparked overwhelming indignation among the Chinese worldwide.

Chère Mademoiselle Jin Jing,

Je voudrais vous dire toute mon émotion pour la façon dont vous avez été bousculée à Paris le 7 avril dernier lorsque vous portiez la flamme olympique. Vous avez fait preuve d’un courage remarquable qui vous fait honneur, et à travers vous, à tout votre pays.

Comme j’ai eu l’occasion de le souligner le lendemain même du passage de la flamme olympique en France, je comprends que la sensibilité chinoise ait été blessée par ce qui s’est passé, et en particulier par l’attaque inadmissible dont vous avez été victime et que je réprouve avec la plus grande vigueur.

Ce qui s’est produit à Paris le 7 avril a engendré dans votre pays de l’amertume. Je tiens à vous assurer que les incidents de cette triste journée, provoqués par quelques uns, ne reflètent pas les sentiments de mes concitoyens pour le peuple chinois.

Pour tenter d’effacer ce moment pénible, je souhaite vous proposer de vous rendre en France dans les prochaines semaines comme mon invitée personnelle, et celle du peuple de France.

Dans l’attente de vous accueillir à Paris, je vous prie de bien vouloir accepter, chère Mademoiselle Jin Jing, l'expression de ma profonde sympathie, et vous demande de bien vouloir transmettre à l’ensemble de votre famille et à vos proches l’expression de mes sentiments les plus cordiaux.

Nicolas SARKOZY

Talking with my Taiwanese friend about NYT's report on the Duke freshman Grace Wang incident

Last night I read the report "Chinese Student in U.S. Is Caught in Confrontation" on the New York Times website. According to the report, there was confrontation between Chinese students and pro-Tibet people on the Duke campus on April 10, when Grace Wang from Qingdao, China tried to get the two sides to talk but was labeled "traitor" by her fellow Chinese. She was slandered on the internet and received threats.

This morning I got two emails asking for my comments on this. One of the emails came from my Taiwanese friend. In fact, if there are two major "traitor" incidents on both coasts in April, she was caught right in the middle of the west coast one. She said：

“I don't understand why Chinese people do not tolerate or listen to other voices. To be honest, I don't understand how China can gain Tibetans or Taiwanese' hearts by doing so.”

Here is my response:

Hi XX:

Thanks for the message. I read this news last night before you sent me the link. I think the treatment Grace received from some of the Chinese people is unfair and unfortunate. Many posts on the 163.com discussion board on this topic range from pathetic to downright evil, and I believe posting her home address, parents' information and other sensitive data is illegal. You can also see some people calling for the more extreme ones to calm down. Birds of a feather flock together, the internet routinely magnifies irrational sentiments to an intolerable extent. I, for one, wouldn't bother to argue with these people on their turf.

I agree with you that China cannot win either Tibetan or Taiwanese heart with people like this.

One of my best friends is at Duke and I will call him to ask for some alternative accounts. In controversial contexts like this, I tend to have more confidence in individual accounts than the news media. Overall I think this piece of report is in keeping with NYT's relatively higher standard of journalism ethics. But it is not free of problems.

The reporter quoted indirect remarks but shunned from recording the opinions of Chinese students who are sympathetic with Grace and think she didn't do anything to deserve such heinous treatment. My bet is that there are plenty of such people, but NYT wouldn't let them talk because that undermines the stereotype it tries to convey to the American public: "200 of your own fellow nationalists yelling at you and calling you a traitor and even threatening to kill you." As Chinese I know this is a grossly inaccurate characterization of the Chinese student population at Duke. But an average American would have much less trouble in assimilating this stereotype and think: "Geez, even the most highly educated Chinese are like this. The Chinese at home must be so hopelessly barbarian and they haven't changed much since the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. Cafferty actually got it right in calling them 50 years' of 'goons and thugs'."

On a more technical note, one quote from an email “If you return to China, your dead corpse will be chopped into 10,000 pieces” is a literal translation of the Chinese idiom "碎尸万段"(Sui4 Shi1 Wan4 Duan4). Chinese idioms, mostly composed of four characters, have been in existence for hundreds of and occasionally more than one thousand years. These idioms come from an age when the human beings were indeed much less civilized, and when used in modern context they often lose the literal meaning. By translating this idiom literally into English without noting its origin as an ancient idiom, the writer imposes on the e-mailer a near-terrorist image which I don't think he/she deserves.

Chinese media did similar things to convince the Chinese that many westerners are the same bunch of "goons and thugs" (from Jack Cafferty, CNN Situation Room, April 9) that invaded and humiliated China for 100 years. That is how misunderstanding and animosity between East and West deepened rather than alleviated throughout this whole event.

In recent centuries, the West has achieved a higher level of civilization which many of us admire from the bottom of our hearts and come a long way to learn from. In recent decades, the Chinese are making quick progress, both economically and mentally. The mental progress is subtle and calls for great endeavor to appreciate and measure. From the vantage point of a higher level of human development, the West should recognize and encourage the progress in the Chinese mentality, because that signals the its sincerity to welcome China to the same level of civilization. Manufacturing stereotypes, on the other hand, signals its fear, insecurity and deep-seated bias.

It is my sincere hope that these subtle mental progress would materialize in the form of fundamental institutional changes, and together they would someday come to fruition that Tibet won't find it necessary to rely on the West to preserve its religion and culture, and Taiwan won't have to turn to the West to defend its democratic values and security. That is the day we can all call China our home.

I am doing my bit of job to make that happen and I'm sure millions of others are doing the same thing too.

Best,
Zhan

A personal statement -- In response to Tinglong

Hmm, last night I told Minjie that I have scheduled some writings (some "scoop" if you will) later this week that would "happen" to make him happier -- actually make both you guys happier.

I will do that.

It is not uncommon for perfectly reasonable people to disagree on political issues, because politics is about infinite complexity. I look forward to a lot of good discussions with you and Minjie when we all have time in the future.

When I disapprove A, I generally don't take the pains to stress that I disagree with B who share my interest in disapproving A (may or may not for different reasons), because that doesn't help sharpening my arguments. But yes, sometimes it is necessary to state one's position very clearly.

During the recent media turmoils since mid-March, I formed each and every one of my opinions strictly by my own judgments, and I'm sure many people here do so too. Criticizing western media bias doesn't mean I approve of China's information control or its non-democratic political system. I certainly do not align with extreme nationalists who are eager to pick fights with anybody who doesn't seem to match their own level of "patriotism", but I also condemn those bigots and hypocrites (and they came out in non-trivial numbers and ferocity this time) who so ignorantly (or blissfully?) crawl on presumptuous moral high-grounds without ever opening their eyes to reality and never waste a second in demonizing countries and peoples different from their own.

So for me the task is always two-fold, and the only criteria I stick to are objectivity and rationality. By doing so I run the risk of alienating both groups who may see value in my arguments for their respective causes, but I do not lend or sell mine to those people I despise. This is the only possible way for me. I cannot tolerate violations of these criteria during serious discussions. And CNN broadcast is meant to be very serious. Jack Cafferty must apologize and be punished.

I am neither a Permanent Resident or US citizen so may not be in the best position to advocate for expanding civil rights for Chinese Americans. But one thing is clear to me. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold back his relentless pursuit for civil rights until his fellow African Americans around the country stopped committing crimes and attained the same level of education and civility as Whites. By the same token, it makes absolutely no sense that simply because China is not good enough that someone up there on CNN could insult the Chinese (no matter which country's passport they hold) without getting punished.

Criticism is alway welcome; insult, never.

So we are mixing several separate issues here. I agree that Chinese people within China's border need not over-react to outside news and can always remain skeptical as to whether certain facets of political news were censored (and if yes, question and challenge the authority for doing that) and focus on domestic development and reform. For Chinese people abroad, the task is very different because they read materials in both languages, the picture is much fuller and least censored for them than those who can only read English yet never suspect that the free press can sometimes betray them by inserting some brainwashing stuff under disguise.